


Denied

by TalosLives



Category: Helluva Boss (Web Series)
Genre: Aftermath, Angels, Complete, Forgiveness, Hopefuly Future, Mistakes, One Shot, Quest For Redeption, Realization, Reason You Suck, Sad, Short One Shot, Sorrow, Spoilers, Tears, What Have I Done, church, completed fic, good ending, heel realization, post episode 4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 21:21:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30044910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TalosLives/pseuds/TalosLives
Summary: For the crime of accidentally killing a human, the three angels of C.H.E.R.U.B. have been exiled from Heaven and have been forced to wander on Earth for a month. Desperate to get home, they have prayed every night to God to please bring them back or at least send a messenger to hear their defense. At long last, someone from Heaven is coming to speak to them and hopefully they can return back home.However, what they learn shakes them to the core and opens their eyes to the realization that they've caused more problems then just killing a single human...(SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 4 OF HELLUVA BOSS IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET!)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 71





	Denied

**Author's Note:**

> For my thoughts on Episode 4, see the notes at the end of the fanfic. 
> 
> This story is to help explain further why I think the C.H.E.R.U.B's were denied returning to Heaven for more then just accidentally killing a human. It's just an idea I had upon finishing seeing the episode and I put it into words so that people can get their own opinions. Cause I do like them and I do want to see them go back home. Again, my thoughts on this episode at the end. 
> 
> Once again as a warning: SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T SEEN EPISODE 4

It has been a month. 

One month since C.H.E.R.U.B had been denied access to Heaven for the crime of accidentally causing a human's death. None of them could actually believe it. They were one of the best angels in Heaven by saving as many human souls as possible from their grimly deaths so that they could have a chance of living. It had been Cletus's idea about a year ago to make their organization a means for those in Heaven to be given a reward to save the souls of their loved ones before death. For the past six months, it had been a success. At first, everything seemed to be going their way. Now thanks to those accursed _imps,_ they were blamed for the death of the human they had been trying to save. 

Since then, it had been a nightmare trying to figure out a way to get back to Heaven or at least contact someone in the afterlife to get the decision revoked. Finding a place to stay wasn't that hard. Being angels, there were plenty of churches willing to give them sanctuary, but they were forced to lie to say _why_ they were there, which didn't sit well with Collin. They also had to eat and drink as well, and the food on Earth tasted terrible compared to what delicacies you got in the hereafter. There was also all the sinning going around that was driving Collin to dispair. Just the news alone reported so many murders, deaths, and other sinful crimes that it made him tear up. He knew humans did terrible things, but he didn't think it was this bad.

He had wanted to try and stop as much as possible, but Kleenie and Cletus had told him not to. They were already in deep trouble as it was, and they didn't want to do something that might ruin it more. Even if it was just to do good. Thankfully, they got a message in their dreams last night that someone would come tonight to talk to them about their situation. This lead to three waiting near the hour of midnight.

Collin looked outside the window of the current church they were staying at while sighing heavily. Over at the altar, praying to God was Keenie, while Cletus was pacing back and forth in the air for their upcoming visitor. After so long of praying, they were finally going to get someone from Heaven to talk to them. That annoying little... _Deerie_ had acted so smugly that the three were denied access back home that Collin wasn't surprised that she was taking some glee in this. She had always been jealous of the three of them doing so well in their job.

"Stupid jealous bi-no don't, Collin," The male sheep angel whispered as he tried to remember that cursing wasn't a good thing. Not for lack of trying. 

He was just upset that this was happening to him and his friends. They were good angels. So many people loved them. And they always told others just how good their deeds were. Now, they were living in this cold, heartless world. How long had it been since he felt the warm sunny rays of God's eternal love in Heaven? Heard the eternal choir of angels singing praise to the almighty creator? Seen his parents on their weekly visits? _Mom and Dad...Gosh, they must be so disappointed in me..._

Even if they did get back into Heaven, it would take centuries for them to make up for the mistake they made. Collin didn't want to kill the human, even if he was a bad person in the end. He just wanted to do what was best for him by stopping him from committing suicide on behalf of those who benefited from his technology. Sure, he had a greedy life, but he had saved so many with his inventions. Didn't that give him the right to redeem himself?

"...and I ask that you have mercy on us, Oh Lord. Amen." Keenie got up and floated over to Cletus. "Is it almost time?"

"He should be here about-"

A bright light suddenly formed in the church's middle aisle, where all three anthro angels covered their eyes. Yet the soft power of God's light was making them sigh in relief like a warm blanket after a cold day. When it faded, they quickly bowed in response to the angel that had come to visit them to discuss their fate: the messenger of God himself, Gabriel.

Wearing a gold and yellow business suit, the silver-skinned boyish angel stood before them proudly as a man and yet looking like a young child. His purplish and starry eyes that were gazed into the infinity of life itself were like a glimpse of eternity while his long blond hair stretched down to his shoulders, sleek and smooth as ice. His golden and blue feathered wings were long enough to cover one of those human cars Collin often saw in his time looking outside of the human world, and his halo was bigger than the three's to symbolize his importance.

"Sir Gabriel," The three C.H.E.R.U.B's bowed as he raised his hand to get them to lift up. 

"Cletus. Collin. Keenie." Gabriel said, addressing each of them. After making the sign of the cross, he sat down on one of the pews with the three exiled angels floating above him. "I suppose we should get down to business." 

"Y-yes," Cletus said, gulping. "Sir, we just want to let you and all of Heaven know that we are so _so_ sorry about what happened at the opera theater! We didn't mean to kill him! It was an accident, and those imps they...well...they pushed us into fighting them!"

"Y-yeah, those imps were the real cause of it!" Keenie said, smiling. "Surely, we can't be punished for it! Okay, maybe we can be punished but not to be denied Heaven!"

"Please, Sir Gabriel," Collin begged, getting teary-eyed. "We want to go home! We'll take whatever punishment is necessary, but please let us see our friends and family again!"

Gabriel looked at the three of them for a long time before asking, "And what will you do when you go back?"

The three looked at each other before smiling as Cletus proclaimed. "We'll continue doing our jobs, of course! Preventing humans from dying!"

"So you have learned nothing then," Gabriel said, shaking his head, which confused others. "Do you really not understand what you have been doing, you three? This little organization of yours? Do you not understand what you have done for the past six months in ignoring your jobs?"

"S-sir?" Cletus asked nervously. "W-What do you mean? We're doing our jobs! We're helping humans-"

"What is the job of a Cherubim?" Gabriel asked, glaring at the three. They just floated there in silence as his eyes made them feel small and weak. "There are three jobs for Cherubim. The first is record-keeping in Heaven for various areas such as soul count, legion distribution, redemption plans, sin count, choices made by humanity, the various possible futures they have, and so forth."

Collin nodded. Before joining C.H.E.R.U.B, he was a record keeper for keeping track of those who worshiped which religions on Earth. While technically Christianity was the one true religion, all other religions were not automatic sentences to Hell. Instead, it was a means to see just how strong faith in the one true God was and what plans needed to be done to see how they could increase that faith when it was too low. While anyone, regardless of faith, could get into Heaven, following the true religion was a big help for those who didn't know God's loving grace. 

"The second job is to help praise God and his glory," Gabriel says as he points out. "This is usually in the form of helping the souls in Purgatory by teaching them the means to finally enter the Kingdom of God. Occasionally, there will be times when we take action on Earth to show his glory, but this normally doesn't happen unless necessary. And third, they seek to encourage humans in being more holy with their lives."

"That's what we've been doing!" Keenie said out loud but soon quieted down with a heavy blush. "Sir, we've been trying to keep humans from dying so that they can live again!"

"And?"

"And what?" Keenie asked.

Gabriel sighed. "Have you ever considered that the reason you are being punished is not just because you caused a human's death, but because your actions, in general, have been unbefitting of your titles?"

"W-What?!" Keenie shouted in horror with a touch of anger. "That's absurd! We've done our duty as angels! Who says this? That...that... _bitch_ Deerie?!"

"Her, but also all the other angels in your sphere," Gabriel answered, which shocked them again. "The death of Lyle was not the sole reason that caused you to get banished, but it was the final straw. Mostly because of your actions these past six months, you've been causing a lot of problems with this organization of yours. Both on Earth and in Heaven."

"Problems in Heaven?! With who?!" Cletus demanded.

"Well, for one? The Angels of Death," Gabriel pointed out, and suddenly a dark feeling came forming into Collins's stomach. He glanced over at his friends and saw that they started to go pale. If there was one scary group of angels, save for the Exterminators, it was them. "All humans, at some point, have a moment where they are destined to die. A good number of the humans you have saved were supposed to die at some point which has been causing a load of issues with that department who have complaints about you guys for the last six months since you started this whole operation." 

"But..."

"Second, you have been saving their lives _without permission from your superiors!"_ Gabriel harshly pointed out, which made the three quiver. "Saving the lives of humans is mostly done by the regular Guardian Angels or the Principalities Order. While a Cherubim is allowed to save humans, it needs to be approved in extreme circumstances because some humans do not _deserve it._ And Lyle Limpton did not need any protection when his destined place was Hell regardless of him committing suicide or not."

"But if he had lived a bit longer, he could have-"

"The man was going to die the next day from a heart attack," Gabriel said, interrupting Collin as his eyes went wide. "Not to mention your efforts on having him live only encouraged him to be more greedy and hurtful towards others in the last few minutes of his life. And he's not the only one whose life you have saved that was a mistake in saving."

Gabriel then snapped his fingers and showed various photos of humans the three angels recognized as past people they saved. "Jacob Donovan was someone you saved because his best friend died in an accident and requested him under protection. You saved him from being killed in a robbery, but what you didn't know was that he regularly beats his son and wife on an almost daily basis." 

Cletus gasped in horror and covered his mouth.

"Ellia Vanderfield? Her mother and father, devoted Catholics, died of old age and loved their daughter, so they requested protection from you. However, Ella is a surgeon who regularly blackmails families, rich and poor, for extra money so she can save their loved ones in complicated surgeries. Those that refuse to end up burying their loved ones due to 'surgical complications." 

Keenie was starting to cry and turned away in shame.

"Colonel Xia Chao. His brother was also a military man who died of cancer three years ago and asked you to protect his brother. His brother is behind a concentration camp that results in the sterilization and deaths of thousands of Chinese Uighurs that he personally enjoys also beating for satisfaction because he finds them to be scum!"

"Stop!" Collin begged, sobbing into his hoof. "Stop it! Please!" 

" **_Lyle Limpton!_ ** _Whose inventions were made on the back of hundreds of poor people who lost their limbs, lives, and more because of his greed and selfishness!"_ Gabriel shouted as he threw the pictures away. _"If any of you had done even the singlist bit of research into your targets, instead of just assuming they were all good people because good people asked you to protect them, then you would have known that these people never_ **_deserved_ ** _an angel's protection in the first place!"_

"W-we did! Well...we did with Lipton..." Colling blubbered, but deep down, he knew that was a weak excuse. They only got the barebones from their clients before heading down to save them if they were in trouble. 

"But it isn't our job as angels to have them get a chance to redeem themselves so they can go to heaven?!" Keenie shouted.

**_"SO WHY DIDN'T ANY OF YOU STICK AROUND TO HELP THEM LEARN FROM THEIR MISTAKES?!"_ ** Gabriel shouted, which made the entire church shake. " **_YOU JUST WENT THERE TO SAVE THEM AND RETURNED TO JUST BOOST TO THE OTHERS ABOUT YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS! YOU NEVER ONCE WARNED THEM THE DANGERS OF CONTINUING THEIR WAYS! OR SHOW THEM THE MEANS TO REDEEM THEMSELVES! OR EVEN EXPLAIN WHY THEIR ACTIONS WERE WRONG!"_ **

Collin's eyes widened, and he froze as the words of Gabriel echoed in his mind. He tried to think of the times that he and others stuck around to make sure they were alright, but most of the time, they just did the rescue, say a few words, and floated back to Heaven. Silence rang in the church as the angels fell to the other side of the pew and began to shake in terror and realization. 

"We...we...we just wanted to..." Cletus whispered, but it was too much, and he started sobbing. Keenie looked at him also and joined in, and it wasn't long before Collin was crying as well.

Monsters.

They were monsters.

No, worse than monsters, they were no different than those imps.

"We're... we're so sorry....we really are..." Cletus wept as he lowered his head. "We...we don't deserve to go to Heaven anymore! We failed you! We failed God!"

"We should go to Hell!" Keenie shouted. "It's what we deserve!"

Gabriel sighed as he slowly picked the tiny angels one by one and held them in his embrace. "You aren't going to Hell." The three looked up and sniffled. "Listen, you three made a mistake. You let your arrogance and pride get the best of you. But do you know what the difference is between you and Lucifer, who suffers from the same problem?"

They shook their heads.

"You realize, and now accept, what you have done is wrong," Gabriel said as he let them go so they could float again. "It's generally accepted that you did want to do the right thing. But in your short-sidedness and arrogance, you have caused just as much harm on Earth and in Heaven. Besides your actions causing terrible people to continue their sinful ways, which lead to more suffering, your fellow Cherubs believed you to be so smug and arrogant in your actions that they were all but happy to see you go." This made the others wince. "You went against the rules of Heaven by deciding on your own who should be saved without a proper chain of command. And you lost your temper to a bunch of imps, giving in to the sin of wraith, which led to the deaths of not just Lyle, but other humans in attendance as well. Yes, the imps were the ones responsible for that, but you played a role too." 

"What are you going to do about them?" Cletus asked, tilting his head. "I mean, surely Heaven cannot allow such a thing to stand, right?"

"They will be dealt with in time," Gabriel said, shaking his head. "There is apparently something that is coming that will involve them, for good or ill, but I am not privileged to that plan. So that is out of my jurisdiction. Forget the I.M.P. crew for now and worry more about yourselves and what you can do to go back to Heaven."

"Wait, we can go back?" Collin asked as hope filled his heart. "I...I thought we were forbidden forever?! At least that's what Deerie incited."

Gabriel sighed and shook his head. "I'll deal with her later, needless to say. No, you are not banned forever. The only reason you are not full-on _Fallen Angels_ is that God believes there is still hope for you."

"He...he does?" Collin whispered, biting his lips. "How...how could he when we have failed him?"

"His love is eternal," Gabriel whispered with a smile. "Even to those who have done wrong so long as they can fix their mistakes and be better people. Or angels in your case. Now listen up." The three stood up straight. "For you to return to Heaven, you will need to do what you are originally supposed to do and redeem human souls. When you have accomplished enough to make up for your mistakes, you will be allowed in Heaven again. However, until then, most of your power will be diminished as part of your punishment. You will have the ability to fly, heal, and be immune to death, but your offensive powers will be removed. Second, you are to now be given the ability to feel human pain, emotions, hunger, thirst, rage, and lust."

"Y-You mean we'll be able to...be tempted to sin?!" Keenie asked in horror.

"Yes," Gabriel said, nodding. "This is part of your test. Giving into smaller sins will be forgiven if you make up for your actions in time, but if you commit a grave sin? Like murder, be it accidental or on purpose? Then you are going to become _Fallen Angels_ , and Hell will be your destined trip." The three gulped. "Finally, an angel will be sent to you once a week to get a report on your actions as well as give or take any messages you want to give to your families and friends back in Heaven."

"Mom...Dad..." Collin whispered in relief. 

"H-How long will this all take?" Cletus asked, nervously.

"That depends on you," Gabriel said as he got up, spread his wings, and left the pew while making the sign of the cross again. "You are not beyond redemption, you three, but this isn't going to be easy. Even angels must suffer the consequences of their actions." He then smiled at them. "But I have faith that you three will come out of this on top."

The three smiled and nodded to each other as Cletus proclaimed, "Yeah, we still have each other! And we'll help each other along the way!"

"We'll make sure we repent for our actions! Not just to God and our fellow Angels, but to the humans we failed as well!" Keenie cheered. 

"We won't let God down again! We're going to show him that we really are going to turn over a new leaf for him!" Collin said as he and his friends all hugged. 

Gabriel nodded with a smile before he started to fade away in glorious heavenly light. "I will pray that you are successful. May the Lord be with you."

"And with your spirit!" The three said as Gabriel faded from the mortal world. 

Once he was gone, Cletus let out a loud yawn and sighed. "Man, I'm tired. Waiting all night and having all this happen... It's making me sleepy..."

"We should go to bed," Keenie whispered as he patted her tiny angel on the shoulder. "We have a lot of work to do tomorrow..."

"You guys go ahead. I just want to look at the stars a bit more," Collin said as the other two bid him goodnight before taking off. Sighing, Collin floated out of the window and landed on top of the church. He stared into the night sky and thought about what he and his friends had just learned.

His heart was still aching with guilt over what he and his friends had done. Tears began to drip down his face again as he covered his knees with his hooves. "I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry..."

He didn't know who he was apologizing to anymore. God? The humans who suffered under those who they saved? The people whose lives were lost because of their actions? His fellow angels who didn't like him because of his arrogance? _Or maybe all of the above,_ Collin thought as he looked up at the moon. _Do we really deserve a second chance? After everything that's happened?_

He didn't know if they did or didn't, but if God was willing to give it to them, then he supposed that it was best to try, right? Putting his hooves together in prayer, Collin whispered, "Father...words cannot be expressed by how sorry I am for what I, and my friends, have done. That you give us this chance to return is more than what we deserve for our sins. I promise you, here and now, I will not fail you again, nor fail Heaven again. Please watch over us, Father, and your son, Jesus Christ as well. Amen."

A shooting star was seen in the sky, and Collin looked at it for a moment, wondering if his prayers had been heard. Feeling a bit better, he slowly flew to the bedrooms where his friends were given by the priests and crawled through the window. He smiled upon seeing Cletus and Kleenie sleeping in the shared bed, holding each other in a warm embrace. Carefully, he soon joined the two by wrapping his arms and wings around them. 

Because success or failure, there was one thing Collin was sure about. No matter what happened, he never wanted to be separated from his friends. 

Be it in Heaven or on Earth.

**Author's Note:**

> I think this is a new record for me in making an fanfic so soon as an episode comes out. So far I've done one for every episode save for the first one, I wonder how long I can keep this up? Lol. 
> 
> Anyway, my thoughts on the episode? I liked it, but not as much as I liked the others one. I don't know, but I think that the concept wasn't what I was hoping it would be. I actually wanted both sides to lose if that possible and they just continue their war against each other, but ah well. As for the the comedy and character dynamics of the angels, that was pretty good. I think I have a soft spot for Collin, he kinda seems like the Moxxie of the group. I hope we see more of them. Plus, don't ask me why, but I have a sudden urge to see him and Loona get together as a couple. Note to self: think of a one shot where that can work.
> 
> I will admit, I am sorry that the three were denied Heaven but they did lead to a human's death (and other deaths as well) by giving into their anger. Plus, its kinda clear that even though Lyle did want to live, he didn't learn anything from it or redeem himself which is what angels are supposed to do. It seemed to me that they just wanted Lyle to live for the sake of just getting him to live and their pride, when they should have been trying to get him to live and change his life around. Hence, why I wrote this fic as it is and a way to explain why they might have been punished for more then just Lyle's death.
> 
> Though this kinda makes me wonder if Heaven is going to be over saturated as a very orderly and rule focused place that takes no middle ground for the sake of the dark comedy world it's created. I just hope God's not a dick is all I want since I'm Catholic and all, but I guess we'll see. 
> 
> Also, are Keenie and Collin siblings? Or are they the Millie and Moxxie of the group and are a couple? If anyone knows, please let me know.


End file.
